Michael j



Dec. 22, 1925. O 1,566,501

M. J. OBRIEN COMBINATION SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Jan. 19,1925 INVENTOR WAOQM I $15,]

Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

- UNITED PAT-ENTQIOF MICHA L ,o imrniw; or Yomnrr. Y. i i

coMBINArIonsArErYfnnvlon rton nu'roiaonrpns. l

Application filed January The invention has for an obj ect'to provide asimple form of combination controlled lock that locks, in open position,a compound switch controlling the spark plug circuits of the engine, andwhich also serves to lock the emer ency brake lever in position with theemergency brake set.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the. invention are more particularly setforth.

.Fig. 1 of the drawing is a plan view showing the device as in positionon, an automobile, the cover ofthebox or housing being thrown back.

Fig. 2 isa side view of the device as applied. p i

Fig. 3. is a longitudinal sectional view of the device, this view beingtaken ,on the line 33 of Fig. 4.

Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 3 andlooking upward. 1 1 t Fig. 5 is a detail plan view showing moreparticularly the compound spark plug control switch. r

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 77 of Fig.3.

My improved device comprises a box 10 that is fixed to the automobilefloor in front of the drivers seat, a portion of the said floor beingindicated at 11. Extending across this box 10, approximately mid-way ofits height, is a horizontal partition 12 below which are the lock andswitch mechanisms, while the knob 14 for the combina tion lock, and thehandle 15 for throwing the locking bolt are supported by and above thispartition, the numbered dial, with which an anti-thief lock:

19,- 1925. serial No. 3,473.*-

the knob 14 co -operates, beingshownat l on the partition. l

The handle l5is fixed on the upper' end of a spindle 20 extendingthrough, and-r0 tatable in, the partition 12, this spindle having fixedto its lower end an angular lever 'arm. 21, onearm21 of which is engaged.in

a notch 22 in a; switch operating plate 23,

while the other arm 21 is engaged by the ,bolt 24 of the lock,.thisarm'havingan' angular recess 25 in the end thereof that engages the'endof the-bolt, the swingof the arm being transverse to the direction ofmovement of thebolt, the latter beingslidable in a casing 26 containingordinary lock mechanism controlled by the knob 14;

The switch operating plate 23 is sli'dable in the box 10, under thepartition 12, and is guided partly by a headed screw 30 passing, througha slot 31 in the plate and screwed 'llltO the partition 12Land partly bymeans of a projecting pin 32 fixed tosaid plate 23 and engaged inanaperture in a transverse j rib 34 depending from the partition12and towhich further reference will presently be, The switch operating plate:23 is provided at one end with a transverse cross. piece 23 which hasattached thereto one end; 7 ofia rod 38 that extends parallel to thedi,-

made.

rection of ,movement of .the plate.-.-To the;

other end of this rodv is attached; a com- 5 pound bridgingelementalined with said-rod that bridges contact members formingypart ofthe individual circuit to the various spark plugs of the automobileengine- These contact members comprise the studs-40v that are.- sunk ina pair of, elongated insulating baseblocksAl between which the. saidbridging l element extends,these studs having their a djacentendsroundedas shown and projectj 1 ing slightly beyondv the verticalsurfaces of l the blocks. .Conn ected to these stud s,., as T shown. arethe vertical binding screws 44:- to

which theleads to and ,from the spark plugs:

connect. "The contact supports 41 may be mounted on a bracket fixed tothe bottom of the box and having upturned ends 46 which are ape-rtured,the one to receive the end of the rod and the, other to receive anextension 46 from the other end of the contact bridging element wherebythe latter is guided for movement between the rows" of contacts.

This bridging member is in the form of a The member 48 is:normallys-urgedto a posi-- tion with'the studs-thereon to engage therespective pairs of studs by means of a coiled expansion spring 50surrounding the, rod 38 and bearing on a collar 51 fixed thereon, themovement of the said member, under the influence of the said springbeing limited by a nut and washer element indicated generally at 52 thatbears on the end of the bracket:4;6.

Referring now to the rib 34: before mentioned-as depending from'thepartition 12 and: apertured to receive the pin 32 on the plate 23, thesaid rib is formed with a'socket 55' that. is entered longitudinallythereinto fromst'heside of the casing and in which isslidab'ly'positioned a flat bar 56 that has 'a'hole 57 therein, near itsinner end, through formed with another aperture or hole that receives a:stud 57 on the side of a collar 58 that freely surroundsthe emergencybrake lever 59- thereby locking the said lever in place. The box may beprovided with a sliding cover made in sections 60 that overlap oneanother when the cover is opened, and may have an electric lamp 61 inthe top compartment thereof to enable the dial of the combination lockto be seen at night.

' In connection with my improved: attachment I preferably provideaedevice thatensures of-the release of the emergency brake lever'beforethe bridging element 48 is moved sufliciently toclose the ignitioncircuits.- "-As' shown in, Fig. 7 the pin- 32 is formed with a notch 65in whichisadapted to:be engaged a spring pawl 66 secured on one end ofan angular rock lever 6'? whose other end'projectsthrough a slot 68 inthe rib to: bear on the: bar56, a weak tension 'plate'23', sulficientlyto disengage from the spring 69- being connectedtothis lever and urgingit in a direction to move the pawl 66 away from the pin 32. When thebolt is released the pin 32 may be moved with the bar' 56 before thepawl 66 rides into the notch 65-, at" which point the contacts of theignition control device are not as yet bridged, The bar 56 must then bewith- 5 drawn, to allow the lever 67 to swing under ranged; in pairsforming part of the ignition circuit of the automobile, a slidable bridging element adapted to engage and bridge the contacts of the respectivepairs, a collar adapted to freely surround the emergency brake lever ofthe automobile, a bar connected at one end to the said collar, apinmovable with the said bridging element and engaging in an aperture inthe said. bar to retain the same against movement, and a lockcontrolling the movement, ofthe said pin and bridging element, and meanspre venting complete movement of the said bridging element to operativepos1t10n when the said pin is engaged with the said bar.

2. An anti-thief attachment for automobiles comprising a series vofspaced contacts arranged in pairs forming part of theigni-tion circuitof the automobile, a slidable bridging element adapted to engage andbridge the contacts of the respective. pairs, a collar adapted to freelysurround the emer-, gency brake lever ofthe automobile, a bar connectedat one end'to the saidcollar, a pin movable with the said bridgingelement andengaging in an aperture in thesaid bar to retain the sameagainstmovemenhand a lock controlling the movement of the said pin andbridging element, and means preventing complete movement of the said.

bridging element tooperative position, when the said. pin is engagedwith the said bar, comprising a lever, a pawl carried by said leverandadapted to engage in a notch in the said pin, said lever having apart .projecting into the path of the said bar whereby the lever isretained by the said bar in position with the saidpawl bearing on thesaid pin. Y

In 'testimonyiwhel'eot' I have afiixed my signature.

MICHAEL J. OBRIEN.

